EDWARDSVILLE - Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Haine announced Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Edwardsville, Illinois, that a 34-year-old Bethalto woman has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty to predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and permitting sexual abuse of a child.
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Ashley L. Rusk received the sentence after pleading guilty on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, to one count of Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child and one count of Permitting Sexual Abuse of a Child. Rusk admitted to committing a sexual act against the child, who was younger than 13, in September 2023. She also admitted that, in February 2025, as a person responsible for the child’s welfare, she permitted her live-in boyfriend to sexually abuse the child.
“This defendant should have been protecting this child, but instead became a source of unimaginable harm,” Haine said. “She not only committed abuse herself, but allowed it to continue. No sentence can ever capture the terrible nature of these crimes, but today’s sentence reflects the gravity of that betrayal and ensures she will be held accountable for decades to come.”
The case was prosecuted by First Assistant State’s Attorney Ali Foley and Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah Voudrie, according to Haine.
Haine commended the prosecution team and the law enforcement agencies that conducted the investigation, including the Bethalto Police Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Department, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Illinois Attorney General’s Office and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
“This investigation was conducted with thoroughness and with urgency, as there was a risk of this child being further victimized,” Haine said. “These cases are among the most challenging we handle, and I am grateful to the prosecutors and law enforcement officers who approach this work with care, compassion, and determination.”
Rusk’s co-defendant, Blake Clemons, 36, of Bethalto, is awaiting trial and remains in custody at the Madison County Jail, Haine said.
